CHAPTER 12, JUDGE,JURY AND EXECUTIONER

After insuring of the Lunar food supply,the Scorpions have a new mission- to preserve the sanctity of the Earth and prevent either side from turning Earth into a wasteland. A foray by Crimson Cancer in China puts them in contact with Sally Po's rebels, as well as Gundam pilot Chang Wufei. While Zechs is still trying out the Super Afterburners of the Tallgeese,Desert Rose, Phantom and Silver Scorpion are already drawing up plans to bring in more ex-Alliance loyalists, as they did with the ex-Bund Army. They plan to start in Libya, at the old Gadaffi base. They'll be doing it without Crimson though, as he's off to the brig for his actions...

<Crimson in chains>: I don't know what took hold of me, Phantom....

<Scorpio>: Well, locking us up in the toilet (with no toilet paper!) and running off with the Purus like that is not a good example for the folks here. We're supposed to be the good guys, Konstantin....

<Crimson>: I...I'm not going to rest until every MS I designed is dead...you know that....

(Scorpio pats Crimson on the shoulder): Yeah, I know....listen, just chill, OK? We'll fill you in on the moment they let you out.

<Crimson>: So who's going to take care of the Twins and Cancer II for me?

<Silver>: Don't worry, friend. The girls are in good hands. As for your mecha....

<Otto>: Ta-Da! Worry not, Da Chef is in the house!

<Crimson bursts forward but is held by the guards>: Anyone but HIM!

(guards grab a kicking and screaming Crimson)

<Chef>: Don' worry! We won't bring it back lobster soup, eh?

<Scorpio>: Otto, can you stick with one personality for once?

<Otto>: Sorry boss.....I just haven't seen 'her' for some time....no inspiration for Rose.....

<Silver>: You really should introduce her to us, Otto. She sounds intresting...

<Otto, thinking to himself>: How can I tell them it's Lady Une???....

--AN AIRFIELD IN TUNIS, TUNISIA--

<Soldier>: Tallgeese, ready for descent.

<Other Soldier>: Captain Zechs, there is turbulence, so watch out.

<Zechs>: Tallgeese, weapons are functional. I'm ready for descent.

<Soldier>: In ten seconds, we'll begin launch. Five, four, three, two, one... Launch!

<Soldier>: Captain Zechs, your Mobile Suit is in radar range. You can begin acceleration. Captain Zechs, Captain Zechs? Are you OK?

<Zechs>: Yes, I can hear you. I'm going to start the test.

<Soldier>: Captain Zechs, we've already locked on the test missiles and are ready to begin firing on the Tallgeese.

<Zechs>: Alright, fire.

<Soldier>: Is this really alright?

<Zechs>: This Mobile Suit must be tested under fire.

<Other Soldier>: Tallgeese is accelerating.

<Soldier>: OK, fire the test missiles.

<Other Soldier>: Yes, sir.

<Soldier>: This monster completely captivates Captain Zechs.

<Soldier>: It's already perfect.

(Zechs turns and twists around the missiles)

<Zechs>: The super burner's response is different from its design specifications.

<Soldier>: But if we follow the design plans then flight operations won't perform well.

<Zechs>: I don't care. A good pilot will fly it successfully regardless.(Compartment opens) My God! What is that, Seargant???? In the cockpit!!

<Soldier>: What? What??

<Zechs>; Those...damn....dice!! Get..them..off!!

<Soldier>: Geez, Captain, I didn;t know you...

<Zechs>: Get them OFF! That's an order!!! *aCHOO!!* (rubs nose)

(Tallgeese wobbles)

<Soldier>:We didn't know about that, sir.....you must have opened a compartment installed from Baikonur.....

<Zechs>: Damn Walker......why are you still haunting me?

Zechs Marquise throws away the dice, and concentrates on the mission at hand. But he looks back at the dice, an artifact from the old days with his best friend Thomas Walker. Walker would tease and torment him with the fur laced dice, which he was horribly allergic to.

He always meant it as fun, though. Now, there is no more laughter from the dice....

<Base>: Commander Zechs, there are two incoming messages for you.

<Zechs>: Patch them through.

<Pizza boy>: Um...two cheese pepperonis and large Cokes?

<Alex/Mueller>: Commander Zechs?

<Zechs tunes in to pizza boy>: No anchovies?

<Pizza boy>; No, Sir.

<Zechs>: Beautiful. (Tallgeese bursts back to base)

--BACK AT BASE--

Two of Noin's former students, Alex and Mueller have just returned from a sortie on an Alliance base where they killed the General.They need more men and suits for the next attack, however, and have contacted Zechs to try get some support.

<Zechs>: What are you saying?

<Alex>: We are going to make a sortie on the Mogadishu fortress of the old Federation government tomorrow. But, we don't have enough Mobile Suits so we were trying to recruit some men.

<Zechs>: There's no need. I will carry out the mission with you in this suit, as a subordinate to you two.

<Alex>: You Captain? Why?

<Zechs>: It's no problem. You two were in charge of the battle in Sumeria. Correct?

<Alex>: Then, Captain Zechs, I'm ordering you to make a sortie with us at 0400 hours tomorrow morning in the Tallgeese.

<Zechs>: Four???Noin trained you really hard...

--GADAFFI BASE, SOMEWHERE IN LIBYA--

<Desert Rose kicks up sand>:Damn! All we have is the world's largest collection of...dust!

<Scorpio>: Seems OZ cleaned out this place....even the septic tank is empty!

<Rose>: Damn. What are we gonna do now, boss?

<Scorpio>: Return to base, I guess. There's nothing left for us to salvage from this wastebowl...I am a bit hungry though.

(Pizza van rolls past)

<Scorpio>: Food!

(Jauhara Gundam grabs van): Hold it!

<Scorpio, jumping out of PS>: You wouldn't have any on you, would you?

<Pizza boy>: H-h-h-E-L-PP!! Scorpions! (runs off into the desert)

<Scorpio>; Oh man....the van's empty....

<Rose>: Boss, maybe we should return this van to its last destination...I'll catch up with that guy.

<Scorpio>: Puru One, you copy?

<Aquarius>: Copy, boss.

(Jauhara Gundam and Phantom Scorpio split up)

<Scorpio>: DoH! (Sees the van had been at an OZ base)

(boosts with van in tow)

<Scorpio>: I could use a workout *gulp*.

--Mogadishu BASE--

(In an airplane)

<Mueller>: Our battle strategy depends on making the Noventa missile change trajectory inland.

<Soldier>: Yes, sir.

<Mueller>: Let me see your skill, Lightning Count.

<Soldier>: We've reached the deployment point.

<Zechs>: OK, get ready to release Tallgeese.

<Soldier>: Captain Zechs.

<Zechs>: What is it?

<Soldier>: We received a message from Red Cancer, "Good luck."

<Zechs>: I will do my best without his luck.

<Soldier>: I am launching Tallgeese now.

<Fed Soldier>: The enemy is coming straight for us from inland.

<Officer>: OZ is attacking indiscriminately, even in this remote region. Launch the Noventa missile. Don't let them get any closer.

<Fed Soldier>: We have their range. The angle of trajectory is optimal. We are ready to fire.

<Officer>: Noventa missile: Fire!

<Soldier>: The HP missiles have hit their targets. <Officer>: What?

<Soldier>: The enemy is still approaching, right through the Noventa missile explosions.

<Soldier>: He's descending towards military unit #2. He has not been injured.

<Zechs>: I want to see the full power of the Super Burner.

<Officer>: What's happening? Why don't you use the Noventa missile?

<Soldier>: The Mobile Suit is too fast. I can't target it.

<Soldier>: A new attack. They're attacking from the sea now.

<Officer>: I didn't realize this fortress was so weak.

<Soldier>: Communications have been established! We can contact the enemy now.

<Zechs>: This is Captain Zechs of the 33rd independent army. You've lost your best fortresses already, so continued resistance is useless. I order you to surrender right away. This would have been the wish of the last Noventa president, who hoped for a peaceful world.

<Soldier>: Our Mobile Suits corps have been destroyed. Number five dock has also been destroyed.

<Officer>: I understand. We will surrender.

(Phantom Scorpio bursts in): Piz..za? Uh...hi!

(Boosts away left and right from missiles and lasers)

<Scorpio>: What do we have here? Is that....Tallgeese?A Cancer....Aries Squad....... It's an attack! Jauhara, do you read me?

<Rose>:I hear ya boss. We're on our way. Shhh...calm down, dude!

<Pizza Dude,peeing in his pants>: oh...Okay..please don't kill me......

--NEARER TO THE BASE--

<Scorpio>: Hey, they surrendered already.....why re those two units still attacking???

<Zechs>: What are you doing...Alex, Mueller? Why are you still attacking? They've already surrendered.

<Alex>: Captain Zechs, you've exceeded your authority in asking for a surrender. You're here to obey us. The execution of the old Federation government is up to us.

<Zechs>: Execution?

<Alex>: These people are stupid because they are against our new world order. This is a cleansing. So, I'm going to clean up things.

<Mueller>: A cleansing! A cleansing!

<Scorpio>: That damned OZ! You're still using dirty methods.

<Pilot>: The enemy headquarters has been hit. I'm going to continue the attack.

<Zechs>: Stop! Are you really officers of OZ? How dishonorable. You should have a sense of shame.

(Tallgeese blocks attack, PS races forward and clotheslines Aries)

<Pilot>: Captain Mueller, Captain Zechs has stopped us from attacking!

<Scorpio>: Nobody is going to 'cleanse' anyone today, OZzie. (Chain whips the Pilot into the sand)

<Mueller>: Zechs, what did you do? You got him killed. Die!

<Mueller>: What? That's not Zechs..it's Phantom Scorpio!!

<Alex>: You! You and Zechs will pay for this show of cowardice!

<Alex>: You thought that this type of Mobile Suit is easy to deal with. Now, I'm going to destroy the target I really wanted to. Die!

(Alex fires, but Phantom blocks with God Gundam arm)

<Alex>: My God, undamaged!

<Zechs>: Your skills are great, but even though you are a student of Noin, you are still foolish.

<Alex>: Shut up! Don't speak the name of Noin to me!

<Scorpio>: Noin's kids? I didn't think they'd end up like this.

<Zechs>: Your time must never come.

<Alex>: Shut up. You're too self-righteous.

<Zechs>: No, you are not worthy of having power. Young punk!

<Zechs stops>: You! Scorpio! What are you doing?

(God Gundam arm glows yellow)

<Domon voice>: This dishonour must end! Shining....Finger!!!

(Alex's Cancer is grabbed by a lightning quick Phantom Scorpio)

<Alex>: What...what are you doing???

<Domon>: Gundam Fight.....is not for cheaters! You will burn in hell!

Phantom Scorpio buries the glowing blue Shining Finger into the Cancer. Alex screams in agony as the energy-laced Gundam arm slowly penetrates the cockpit, melting away the titanium armor until the cockpit itself is breached. The last thing Alex sees before dissolving is a flash of blue light....

<Alex>: AAArghhhh! (Phantom leaves the Cancer hanging with a gaping hole)

<Mueller>: Alex!! You murderer! Arrgh!

(Tallgeese blasts Mueller)

<Zechs>: You do not fight with honour.

<Scorpio, powered down>: WHoa...whatta trip...*ahem* Zechs...you don't either.

<Zechs>: I know, Scorpio....but what can I expect of you? You and your Scorpions kill in cold blood.

<Scorpio>:....can you do me a favour, Zechs?

<Zechs>: Like what?

<Scorpio>: Tell Noin I'm sorry..about her cadets ....

<Zechs>: She taught them fighting skills but they had no character. I'll submit my report to her detailing their conduct. There's nothing here to be sorry about...

<Scorpio>: So there's a whole new base for OZ, huh?

<Zechs>: Most people here are dead.... there's no point to this carnage...

<Scorpio>: And you still fight on Trieze's side?

<Zechs>: Yes....I am truly not worthy of being a warrior- what the!

(Phantom Scorpio knocks Tallgeese down with a roundhouse kick)

<Scorpio>: I won't kill you today, Zechs......because you feel you are not worthy....goodbye, Tallgeese....

(Scorpio boosts off to the awaiting Jauhara Gundam and Aquarius)

--BASE--

<Zechs,chewing on reheated pizza>: The condition of the Burner is good.

<Soldier>: Thank you very much. For the pizza,I mean.

<Soldier>: This is?

<Zechs hands him a paper>: This is the report on Alex and Mueller. Send this to Chief Noin.

<Soldier>: To Noin?

<Zechs>: She will regret that she taught them just fighting skills and nothing about character.

<Soldier>: But...

<Zechs>: War is unfeeling, but I make Mobile Suits which were only used by the enemy before me. I am unqualified to be a soldier, like Alex and Mueller.I don't care what Phantom says.....I still can try.....

--LOWER STRATOSPHERE--

<Puru 1>: Boss, isn't that Tallgeese out there? Why are we in here?

<Scorpio>: The pilot helped me stop an uncontrolled OZ slaughter...he deserves to live.

<Rose>: You look bushed, boss...

<Scorpio>: Why did I sound like Domon back there? And what is the'Gundam fight'???...

<Puru 1>: Whatever it is boss, you're in no condition to participate in the next mission. It's a reunification mission.

<Scorpio>: Well, I still want to take part...

<Silver>: No go, Scorpio....

<Scorpio>: But...but...

next chapter